Propulsion connection for motor-vehicles



APPLICATION FILED IAN-2'9, I920.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. nuns-0N, or PHILADELPHIA, PnNNs'YLvANIA, AssIeNon 'r'o HUDSONMOTOR SPECIALTIES GOMPANY, A conronArIoN or PENNSYLVANIA.

PROPULSION CONNECTION FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Original application filed May 10, 1919, Serial No. 297,425. Divided andthis application filed January 29, 1920. Serial No.'354=,907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. HUDSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful ImprovedPropulsion Connection for Motonvehicles, of which the following is aspecification, the same being a division of my application for LettersPatent, Serial No. 297,425, filed May 10, 1919. V

This invention, generally stated, relates to motor-vehicle constructionsand has more particular relation to means for securing propulsion meanswith respect to the worn drive of a truck. It is customary in theconstruction of worm-driven trucks of certain models, to couple thepower transmission direct to the worm-shaft by,means of a propellershaft rigidly connected fore and aft and rigid throughout its length.Suchpropeller is contained within a casing which is bolted at one end tothe housing or casing containing the worm-drive and is bolted at itsother end to the transmission casing. Consequently the entire connectionbetween the transmission and the worm-drive possesses no flexibility.Rigidity of connection is very undesirable for various reasons. As anillustration :-In backing a truck for loading or unloading purposes therear wheels thereof frequently come in contact with a curbor the likeand the jar or jolt resulting from such impact is referred to variousportions of truck mechanism, causing disalinement, stress, strains andfrequently breakage of parts.

It may be said to be a leading object of the present invention toprovide a propulsion connection possessed of such flexibility that jarsand jolts as may be referred from the rear axle are absorbed by thepropulsion means without detrimental effect to the ve hicle mechanism.Another object is that of utilizing the worm drive and its casing asmanufactured and connecting with respect thereto comparatively few andsimple elements for attaining the results recited by the leading objectwhereby unskilled labor may readily effect a substitution of parts.Other and further objects relate to the provision of flexible propulsionmeans connected in a new and novel manner with a worm-drive in whichconnection. is combined efficiency,

practicability and comparative cheapness ments hereinafter described andfinally claimed.

j The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will bemore fully understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which Figurel, is a view in side elevation, partly sectioned, illustrating aconnection of wormdrive and propulsion means embodying features of thepresent invention, and

Fig. 2, is an end viewof certain of the parts shown in Fig. l detached.I

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred byme, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory andreliable results, although it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as hereinshown and described.

In practising the present invention I first disconnect from between theworm-drive housing and the transmission casing of a commercial vehicle,of certain model, the

propeller shaft casing and then disconnect peller shaft is of therigidly connected type and has splined-joint relation with thewormshaft. WVith such propeller shaft and its casing removed there isleft protruding from the worm-drive housing 10, the splined end of theworm-shaft. It is this projecting end of the worm-shaft with which theremoved propeller shaft has splined-joint relation.

Fitted within the apertured portion 11 of the worm-drive housing 10 is aroller bearing 12 in which is rotatably mounted the worm-shaft 13. Suchbearing is calculated to support or sustain the improved propulsionconnection of the present invention without resort to additionalbearings. In order to prevent dust and dirt gaining access to thebearing 12 and to prevent egress of lubricant from the worm-drivehousing a guard is employed. Such guard comprises a disk-like plate 14:having an annular flanged portion 15 upon its inner face and having acentral aperture extended through said plate including said flangedportion. The central aperture is.-;preferably provided with an annulargroove in which ing 10-. It is to be noted that the flanged portion 15ofthe guard engages Within the apertured portion 11 of the housing 10 sothat a'tight joint is efiected between the inner face of the guard andthe outer face of V the housing. Over that part of the wormshaft whichprojects beyond the guard is fitted the elongated sleeve 19. Wl1-l0l1projects from a disk-like plate 20. The sleeve is interiorly grooved forcooperatively engaging with the splines of the worm-shaft so that thetwo parts may rotate in unison. The end of sleeve 19 abuts against theouter face of the disk-like plate 14. The propelling means is clamped todisk-like plateBO as by bolts 21. The propelling means may comprise apropeller shaft 22 provided with a universal 'joint 23.

It will now be apparent thatI have designed my name.

vised a novel and useful construction which embodiesthe features ofadvantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention andthe above description and while I have in the present instance shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found inpractice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to beunderstood that the same is susceptible of modification in variousparticulars Without departing from the'spirit or scope of the inventionor sacrificing any of its advantages. V r i ll' hatlclaimiszr V r In aconstruction of the character stated a worm andits complementalshaft, ahousing therefor through which projects an end.

of said shaft, a bearing for said shaft mounted in said housing, a dustguard coin' prising a disk-like plate having a ring of pliable materialthereln said plate bemg fitted oversaid shaft in abutting relation.

with the end of said housing, means for clamping said plate to'saidhousing, a second disklike plate provided with a sleeve, said sleeveco-actively engaging over the major portion of the projected end of saidshaft and abutting against the first mentioned disk-like plate,propulsion means and means for clamping said propulsion means to thelast mentioned dislr-like plate.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto L WILLIAM F. HUDSON.

